Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday urged Filipinos to discover “the joy of reading to enrich their understanding.”

“Reading reconnects us to wisdom larger than our own experience and prepares us to confront and overcome the pressing challenges of our time,” Duterte said in her message for this year’s National Book Week.

“Magbasa. Linangin ang kaisipan at diwa sa tamang pang-unawa,” she added. (“Read. Cultivate the mind and spirit with proper understanding.”)

According to the 2024 Functional Literacy Survey, nine out of 10 Filipinos have basic literacy, but only seven out of 10 aged 10 to 64 are considered functionally literate.

“This stark gap reveals a critical challenge—many Filipinos struggle with the deep comprehension needed for informed citizenship,” Duterte said.

Duterte also urged Filipinos to recognize the challenge of the digital age.

“We are conditioned to consume information for speed, not depth, often sacrificing the sustained focus that true understanding demands,” she said.

“Comprehension begins as a daily practice at home, where understanding becomes instinct. Our schools must reinforce this by teaching students that reading is the key to thinking critically and questioning what they encounter,” the Vice President added.

“When our youth can truly comprehend what they read, they are empowered to make informed decisions, demand accountability, and actively shape their own futures.”